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A centralised operations centre (OC) will be opened at the Red Meat Industry Services’ (RMIS) headquarters in Pretoria today (Monday, 9 June 2025) to manage the crisis of widespread foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). This decision was made by the RMIS board last Thursday during a meeting.
FMD Working Group
Once the RMIS has appointed a RMIS veterinarian, he or she will run the OC and oversee a team of veterinary professionals and industry representatives, along with a specialist public relations and public affairs agency, forming the FMD Working Group. The FMD Working Group will be mandated to develop and implement a structured, time-bound response to the outbreak, with medium- to long-term goals, including a focus on vaccination among other key areas.
The primary objective of this plan is to guide RMIS in addressing the current FMD situation in South Africa, with a strong focus on protecting red meat role-players to ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of the industry. This is critical not only for the red meat sector, but also for South Africa’s broader agricultural economy, as the outbreak impacts the entire red meat value chain and poses a serious threat to the dairy industry and other sectors connected to red meat production.
Another key aim is to establish public-private partnerships (PPPs) at various levels to support the understaffed public veterinary sector by leveraging private sector expertise and capacity.
Immediate responsibilities of the OC include:
- Finalising a three-month response framework to address urgent risks and establish a platform for long-term management. The medium-term plan will include two key components: Expanding and supporting the capacity of veterinary services to enhance disease control.
- Establishing FMD-free livestock compartments supplying all South African red meat abattoirs.
- Coordinating with the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) to align with government and industry stakeholders.
- Evaluating and enhancing the government contingency plan. The department has shared its contingency plan with the industry, which the FMD Working Group will review and provide feedback.
- Initiating a local vaccine production strategy, which includes assessing funding requirements, establishing an implementation timeline, and developing a financing model supported by industry funding.
- Centralising stakeholder communication through the appointed veterinarian, who will report directly to RMIS CEO Dewald Olivier.
- Implementing an electronic movement permit system: A basic, structured electronic farmer declaration system will be developed, communicated, and enforced.
“This is a defining moment for the red meat industry,” says Dewald Olivier, CEO of RMIS. “RMIS was established precisely for a time like this – to provide coordinated leadership, technical expertise, and practical solutions in close collaboration with government and industry partners. Our unified efforts today will shape a more secure, sustainable, and competitive future for the industry.”
Current FMD situation
On Friday the National Department of Agriculture (NDA) sent out a press release stipulating the current state of FMD in the country. Regarding the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, minister Steenhuisen announced that the NDA has ordered vaccines to cover the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) area, while assessment, as well forward and backward tracing of the outbreak in Gauteng is ongoing. Over 900 000 doses of vaccines were ordered, and the first batch is expected to arrive next week.
“These plans are not only about responding to outbreaks, but also about building permanent infrastructure to manage future risks. “More broadly, we are establishing a Biosecurity Council that will bring together the South African Police Service (SAPS), veterinarians, scientists, the Border Management Authority (BMA), and industry. We are rolling out a farm to fork national traceability system for livestock.”
Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) is also being upgraded to restore vaccine self-sufficiency, and rural veterinary services and emergency response are enhanced. The dip tank model in partnership with traditional leaders is also being introduced.
“Biosecurity is not an agricultural issue alone. It is a national security issue, and we are treating it as such.”
Karan Beef outbreak
In the second half of May 2025, clinical signs of FMD were reported in cattle on the East Rand in Gauteng. Samples were collected and FMD infection was confirmed. The affected cattle are kept informally on shared grazing and additional herds kept in the same area were also found to be infected. Cattle on an adjacent dairy farm was also confirmed to be infected. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing to identify and test all adjacent and linked locations.
On 30 May 2025, an abattoir in Mpumalanga reported lesions suspect for FMD that were identified on post-mortem meat inspection. Following traceback to the origin of the cattle, a large feedlot in Gauteng was identified and found to be positive for FMD. Further investigations are ongoing to determine the origin of the animals that entered the feedlot in the past month, in order to identify the source of the infection.
Minister Steenhuisen has praised Karan Beef for their quick response to the FMD outbreak at their Heidelberg facility. During a virtual meeting last night with Karan Beef and departmental officials, the minister commended them for their containment measures and having a plan in place. This is key to preventing the spread of the disease and protecting the broader agricultural sector.
Karan Beef is working with State Veterinary Services to implement the plan and minimise further risk. The company has reiterated their commitment to transparency, compliance, and animal health and welfare.
Status of the outbreaks in KwaZulu-Natal
There are still signs of active virus circulation in the Disease Management Area (DMA) in KZN, with some outbreaks detected outside of the DMA. An abattoir in the Vryheid area in the DMA is in the process of being designated to slaughter animals from premises under FMD restrictions. A system has been put in place to assess the level of biosecurity on individual farms, with the intention of aligning the control measures to the biosecurity risks.
Stable status of the outbreak in Mpumalanga
FMD was reported in April 2025 on one farm in the Gert Sibande Municipality, which was identified as a trace forward from an auction in KZN. Following one round of targeted surveillance of surrounding farms, there are no signs that this outbreak spread to any adjacent farms or other linked locations. The second round of surveillance has commenced.
China’s trade suspension
As a result of the spread of the KZN outbreaks to Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces, the People’s Republic of China has suspended imports of cloven-hoofed animals and related products. Preliminary information obtained confirmed that this suspension includes only beef from the whole of South Africa to China. The export of wool that has been processed to destroy FMD virus, have not been affected.
Actions taken by the department
Minister Steenhuisen has escalated control efforts to the deputy director-general’s (DDG) office due to the seriousness of the matter. The office of the DDG has already held meetings with State Veterinary Services and industry representatives to detail the actions required to curb this threat. The biosecurity, traceability, and record keeping of animals bought and sold at auctions and similar industries were raised as a specific concern and this will be addressed by government in the near future.
Caution to buyers and sellers of livestock
Livestock owners in the country should take note of the incubation period of FMD. This is a period of 2 to 14 days, within which animals can appear clinically healthy, before they start showing clinical signs generally associated with FMD. This highlights the importance of keeping newly bought animals separated from the resident herd for at least 28 days, even if health attestation was issued for the animals. The health attestation and 28-day separation have been a legal requirement since October 2022.
Biosecurity and awareness in the whole country
The NDA urges all livestock farmers in the whole country to limit animal movement as far as possible. They request auctioneers and livestock owners to be vigilant when buying cloven-hoofed animals from provinces where there are active FMD outbreaks. No cloven-hoofed animals should be accepted from areas under restriction for FMD in KZN, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga.
Section 11 of the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act 35 of 1984) imposes a legal duty on any owner or manager of animals to take all reasonable steps to prevent their animals from becoming infected with any disease and to prevent the spread of any disease from their animals or land to other animals or other properties.
Essential biosecurity measures include limiting and/or postponing the introduction of new animals if at all possible and, if absolutely necessary, only introducing animals from known clean farms with a health declaration, preventing nose-to-nose contact of farm animals with animals outside the farm, maintaining secure farm boundaries, and restricting access for people and vehicles as much as possible.
FMD is a controlled animal disease in terms of the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act No 35 of 1984). Any suspicious clinical symptoms (salivation, blisters in the mouth, limping, or hoof lesions) must be reported to the local State Veterinarian immediately and such animals must not be moved under any circumstances. The Act prescribes certain control measures, like isolation and movement control that are being enforced by Veterinary Services. – Susan Marais, Plaas Media
